FindMySchool Data Sources
FindMySchool combines official education data, published inspection evidence, school profile information and admissions context so families can compare schools with clear source boundaries.
What We Use
Each school profile is assembled from source categories with different update cycles. Where a field is missing or uncertain, the site says so rather than implying a complete record.
School identity and status
- Department for Education school registers and school census fields
- Unique Reference Number (URN), phase, school type, local authority and open status
- School address, postcode, age range, gender, religious character and governance data
Inspection context
- Ofsted inspection outcomes for state-funded schools and eligible providers
- Independent Schools Inspectorate reports for independent schools where available
- FindMySchool inspection score derived from published inspection evidence and school context
Academic performance
- Key Stage 2 primary performance data
- GCSE measures including Attainment 8, Progress 8 and top-grade performance where available
- A-Level and post-16 results used for sixth-form and combined rankings
Admissions and distance
- Published admissions policies, oversubscription criteria and school application guidance
- Historical last-distance-offered and application-demand data where collected
- Distance data is not treated as a guaranteed catchment boundary
Update Cadence
Different data types refresh on different schedules. Recent updates are reflected in profile pages, local hubs, rankings and the XML sitemap after validation.
Annual
National performance and rankings
Updated after official school performance releases are processed and validated.
Ongoing
Inspection outcomes
Refreshed as new Ofsted and ISI inspection reports become available.
Periodic
Admissions, fees and profile content
Reviewed from published school and local authority materials, with source checks before publication.
After release
Site pages and sitemaps
Profile pages, hub pages and XML sitemaps reflect validated releases, revalidation and deploy cadence.
Important Limits
Rankings and profile summaries are decision-support tools, not admissions decisions. Families should always check the latest school admissions policy, local authority timetable and school website before applying.
Last-distance-offered data is historical. It helps show previous admissions pressure, but it is not a fixed catchment boundary and it does not guarantee a future offer.